Nuclear core and fuel assemblies
AssigneeWestinghouse Electric Corp.
InventorRobert E. Downs
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fast flux nuclear core of a plurality of rodded, open-lattice assemblies having a rod pattern rotated relative to a rod support structure pattern. Elongated fuel rods are oriented on a triangular array and laterally supported by grid structures positioned along the length of the assembly. Initial inter-assembly contact is through strongbacks at the corners of the support pattern and peripheral fuel rods between adjacent assemblies are nested so as to maintain a triangular pitch across a clearance gap between the other portions of adjacent assemblies. The rod pattern is rotated relative to the strongback support pattern by an angle .alpha. equal to sin .sup.-1 (p/2c), where p is the intra-assembly rod pitch and c is the center-to-center spacing among adjacent assemblies.
Claims13
An assembly for a core of a fast flux fluid cooled nuclear reactor comprising a plurality of elongated coextending rods, having nuclear material, said rods being arranged in a first array and a plurality of support members generally coextensive with said rods being arranged in a second array, said first and second arrays being rotated a preselected angle relative to one another.
An assembly for a core of a fast flux fluid cooled nuclear reactor comprising a plurality of elongated coextending rods, bearing nuclear material, arranged in a triangular array to form a generally hexagonal rod pattern, and support structure for said rods including six strongbacks arranged to form a hexagonal support pattern, said support pattern being rotated a preselected angle .alpha. relative to said rod pattern.
A core for a fast flux fluid cooled nuclear reactor comprising a plurality of closely arranged assemblies, said assemblies including a plurality of elongated coextending rods, having nuclear material, said rods being arranged in a triangular array so as to form a generally hexagonal peripheral pattern, and a plurality of strongbacks, generally coextensive with said rods, arranged in a hexagonal pattern, said hexagonal peripheral rod pattern being rotated by a preselected angle .alpha. relative to said strongback hexagonal pattern.
A fuel assembly for a core of a fast flux fluid cooled nuclear reactor comprising a plurality of elongated, coextending, parallel fuel rods, having nuclear fuel material, said rods being arranged in a lateral array which peripherally forms a first regular polygon, and a plurality of elongated strongbacks parallel with said fuel rods and arranged in a lateral array which forms a second regular polygon, said first and second polygons having the same number of sides, said first and second polygons being rotated relative to one another by a preselected angle.
A fuel assembly for a core of a fast flux fluid cooled nuclear reactor comprising a plurality of elongated parallel fuel rods, having nuclear fuel material, said rods being arranged in a first pattern having six peripheral sides whereby lines extending through the centers of each peripheral rod on each of said six peripheral sides form, upon extension to intersection, a regular hexagon, said fuel assembly further having six peripheral strongback supports arranged in a second pattern forming a second regular hexagon, said first and second hexagons being rotated relative to one another approximately two degrees.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.